Railway cars for transporting road semi-trailers



Nov. 13, 1962 A. E. PRICE 3,063,336

RAILWAY CARS FOR TRANSPORTING ROAD SEMI-TRAILERS Filed. June 15, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ALBERT E. PRICE FIG./

g 1 ATTYS.

A. E. PRICE Nov. 13, 1962 RAILWAY CARS FOR TRANSPORTING ROAD SEMI-TRAILERS 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 13, 1960 INVENTOR.

ALBERT E PRICE BY 74k 0 JATTYS.

Nov. 13, 1962 A. E. PRICE 3,063,386

RAILWAY CARS FOR TRAN-SPORTING ROAD SEMI-TRAILERS Filed June 13, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 n L j I 3 r E, 34- g m '0 I 3 T t a I I l n INVENTOR. g} 3 ALBERT E. PRICE l Nov. 13, 1962 A. E. PRICE 3, 6

RAILWAY CARS FOR TRANSPORTING ROAD SEMI-TRAILERS Filed June 15. 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 I04 INVENTOR.

Y ALBERT 5. PRICE B 6% j M 7 W Z 7 ATTYS.

Nov. 13, 1962 A. E. PRICE 3,063,386

RAILWAY CARS FOR TRANSPORTING ROAD. SEMI-TRAILERS Filed June 13, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 l fi n r--1 507 K 1 E| J INVENTOR.

ALBERT E. PRICE.

A. E. PRICE Nov. 13, 1962 RAILWAY CARS FOR TRANSPORTING ROAD SEMI-TRAILERS 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 13, 1960 WOW IN V EN TOR.

ALBERT E. PRICE Nov. 13, 1962 A. E. PRICE 3,

RAILWAY CARS FOR TRANSPORTING ROAD SEMI-TRAILERS Filed Jun 15, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR.

ALBERT E. PRICE &

j 2 0 ATTYS.

Nov. 13, 1962 A. E. PRICE 3,063,386

RAILWAY CARS FOR TRANSPORTING ROAD SEMI-TRAILERS Filed June 15. 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. 524

540' 553 542 52a 542 570 I J0 A l H I I I 50a INVENTOR.

ALBERT 5'. PRICE insane Patented Nov. 13, 1962.

, 3,063,386. RAILWAY CARS FORIIRANSPORTiNG lRflAD SEMI-TRAILERS Albert E. Price, Chicago, Ill., as'signor to General AmericanTransportation Corporation, Chicago, lll., a corpurafion at, New ak Filed June 13, 1960, Ser. No. 35,734 12 Claims. (Cl. 105-863) The present invention relates to freight transportation systems of the combination road and railway type, and more particularly to improved railway cars for transporting road semi-trailers.

It is the general object of the invention to provide an improved railway car for transporting road semi-trailers that accommodates ready loading and unloading of the road semi-trailers with respect to the railway car.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a railway car for transporting indiscriminately road semitrailers of first and second types, wherein the first type of semi-trailer includes a rear end carrying road wheels of standard road gauge, and the second type of semitra'iler includes a rear end carrying both road wheels of standard road gauge and track rollers of given narrow gauge depending therefrom and disposed inwardly of and above the road wheels carried thereby, and wherein the railway car includes a longitudinally extending narrow center sill, a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart stationary rails respectively provided on the opposite top sides of the center sill and constituting a trackway of the given narrow gauge for mounting the sernhtrailer of the second type mentioned, and a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart stationary platforms respectively carried on the opposite sides of the center sill and projecting laterally outwardly therefrom and disposed below the top thereof and constie tuting a roadway of the standard road gauge for mounting the semi-trailer of the first type mentioned, an improved trackway bridging arrangement between the stationary rails mentioned and exterior track structure so as to accommodate selective loading and unloading of the road semi-trailers of the second type between the railway car and an external support, and an improved roadway bridging arrangement between the stationary platforms mentioned and exterior road structure so as to accommodate selective loading and unloading of the road semi-trailers of the first type between the railway car and the external support.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a railway car for transporting road vehicles, improved bridging platform structure carried by the end of the railway car and selectively movable between respective connecting and disconnecting positions with respect to a cooperating external support so as to accommodate selective loading and unloading movements of the road vehicles between the railway car and the external support.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a railway car of the type mentioned, improved bridging platform structure of the type described, wherein the bridging plat-form structure carried by the end of the railway car is" compatible with that carried by the adjacent endof a similar coupled railway car, so that the coordinate bridging platform structures carried by the two coupled railways cars mentioned accommodate selective loading and unloading movements of the road 'vehicles between the two coupled railway cars and longitudinally therealong'.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a railway car for transporting road vehicles, improved bridging platform structure carried by the end of the railway car andselectively movable between respective connecting and disconnecting positions with respect to a cooperating external support, so as to accommodate selective loading and unloading movements of the road vehicles between the railway car and the external support, wherein the bridging platform structure incorporates counterbalancing mechanism faciliating ready movement of the bridging platform manually between its extreme connecting and disconnecting positions mentioned.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide in a railway car of the character described, improved gliding and linkage structure between the end of the railway car and the bridging platform, so as to insure positive guided movements of the bridging platform between its respective connecting and disconnecting positions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a railway car of the type described, platform bridging structure of simplified construction and arrangement that may be readily moved manually by one man between its respective connecting and disconnecting positions, thereby to facilitate ready loading and unloading movements of the road vehicles between the railway car and an external support.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the elements of the railway car, whereby the above-outlined and additional operating features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fractured side elevational view of a freight transportation system embodying the present invention and including a railway car, this figure illustrating the left-hand end of the railway car mounting an equipped road semi-trailer and including a first semitrailer hitch supporting the front end of this mounted semi-trailer;

FIG. 2 is another fractured side elevational View of the freight transportation system, this figure illustrating the righthand end of the railway car mounting an unequipped road semi-trailer and including a second semitrailer hitch supporting the front end of this mounted serni-trailer;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view, partly broken away, of the left-hand end of the railway car, taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged side elevational view of the railway car, illustrating the railway bridging rail and the roadway bridging platform carried thereby, this figure being taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged lateral sectional View of the railway bridging rail and the roadway bridging platform, taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 5- 5 in FlG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged lateral sectional view of the railway car, taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 6 in FIG. 1, and illustrating the supporting. arrangement for the mounted equipped road semi-trailer;

HS. 7 is an enlarged lateral sectional view of the railway car, taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 77 in FIG. 2, and illustrating the supporting arrangement for the mounted unequipped road semi-trailer;

FIG; 8 is a further enlarged fragmentary plan view, similar to FIG. 3, of the left-hand end of a modified form of the railway car;

FIG. 9 is a further enlarged side elevational view, similar to FIG. 4, of the modified form of the railway car of FIG. 8 and illustrating the road bridging platform in its fully extended position;

FIG. 10 is a further enlarged side elevational View,

similar to FIG. 9, and illustrating the roadway bridging platform in its fully retracted position;

FIG. 11 is a further enlarged lateral sectional view of the railway car, taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 11-11 in FIG. 8, but illustrating the railway bridging rail in its fully retracted position; and

FIG. 12 is a further enlarged fragmentary lateral sectional view of the railway car, taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 12-12 in FIG. 8.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the freight transportation system there illustrated, and embodying the features of the present invention, essentially comprises a railway car 100 of the universal type in that it is adapted to support and to transport indiscriminately road vehicles of first and second types. As illustrated, a road vehicle 200A of the first type is mounted on the right hand end of the railway car 100 and a road vehicle 200B of the second type is mounted on the left hand end of the railway car 100. Specifically, the road vehicle 200A of the first type is in the form of a road semi-trailer and essentially comprises a chassis provided with a rear end carrying road wheels 201 and a front end carrying both a king pin 202 and a front landing gear 203, as well as a body 204 adapted to receive the cargo that is to be transported. The road vehicle 200B of the second type is also in the form of a road semi-trailer and is essentially of the same construction as that of the road vehicle 200A of the first type, except that it also carries at the rear end thereof dolly mechanisms: including track rollers, indicated at 205. Accordingly, it will be understood that the road semi-trailer 200A of the first type is entirely conventional and is unequipped with respect to the dolly mechanisms mentioned; whereas the road semitrailer 200B of the second type is entirely conventional, except for the incorporation therein of the dolly mechanisms mentioned. Thus hereinafter, the road semi-trailer 200A of the first type is referred to as an unequipped trailer, while the road semi-trailer 200B of the second type is referred to as an equipped trailer.

Before proceeding with further description of the structural details of the trailers 200A and 2003, it is pointed out that the railway car 100 of the universal type essentially comprises, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7, a longitudinally extending center sill 101 of fish-belly construction supported at the opposite ends thereof by a pair of trucks 102 of standard rail gauge that cooperate with an associated railway track 103, also of standard rail gauge. The center sill 101 essentially comprises a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart I- beams 104 that are suitably connected together at a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart points by a corresponding plurality of cross braces 105. The top flanges 106 of the I-beams constitute a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart rails provided on the top of the center sill 101 and constituting a trackway of given narrow gauge. Also the railway car 100 comprises a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spacedapart platforms 107 respectively carried by the outer sides of the webs of the I-beams 104 and respectively projecting outwardly therefrom and disposed below the top flanges 106 and constituting a roadway of standard road gauge. In the arrangement, and as best shown in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, each of the platforms 107 is supported by a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart and laterally outwardly projecting cantilever beams 108 disposed therebelow in supporting relation therewith, the inner ends of the beams 10% being rigidly secured, as by welding, to the outer side of the web of the adjacent I-beam 104.

Specifically, each of the platforms 107 is of fabricated structure and of substantial box-like configuration, including an outer downwardly turned flange 109 and an inner upwardly turned flange 110. Also, the railway car 100 comprises a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart wheel guide rails 111 respectively carried upon the extreme upper ends of the upwardly directed flanges 110 provided on the inner edges of the platforms 107. Each of the wheel guide rails 111 is preferably of substantially tubular form and is secured, as by welding, upon the extreme upper end of the associated upwardly directed flange 110; whereby each of the wheel guide rails 111 is disposed below the adjacent rail 106 carried on the top of the associated I-bearn 104 and above the top of the associated platform 107. Also, each of the wheel guide rails 111 is disposed laterally outwardly of the adjacent rail 106 and laterally inwardly of the inner edge of the associated platform 107 and presents a smooth outwardly facing rubbing surface to the adjacent inner surface of the inner road wheel 201 carried by an unequipped trailer 200A; which arrangement is utilized for a purpose more fully explained hereinafter.

As best shown in FIG. 7, the unequipped trailer 200A is provided at the rear end thereof with spring mechanisms 210 carrying a pair of laterally extending tandem axles 211 that, in turn, carry the road wheels 201 on the outer ends thereof, dual road wheels 201 being illustrated for the purpose of description. When the unequipped trailer 200A is mounted upon the top of the railway car 100, the road wheels 201 directly engage the platforms 107 so that the rear axles 211 straddle the top of the center sill 101 and are positioned above the track rails 106 and out of contact therewith, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 7.

As best shown in FIG. 6, the equipped trailer 200B is constructed at the rear end thereof in a manner identical to that of the unequipped trailer 200A, as shown in FIG. 7, except for the provision of the previously mentioned dolly mechanisms, indicated at 220. For the purpose of the present description, the dolly mechanisms 220 have been illustrated as essentially comprising brackets 221 suitably secured to the opposite sides of the rear axles 211 in straddling relation with respect to the respectively associated spring mechanisms 210; whereby the track rollers 205 respectively carried by the brackets 221 are disposed directly below the spring mechanisms 210 and are of the previously mentioned narrow gauge of the track rails 106. When the equipped trailer 20013 is mounted upon the top of the railway car the track rollers 205 carried by the rear axles 211 straddle the track rails 106 and engage the same for the purpose of supporting the rear end of the trailer 200B so as to mount the same upon the top of the center sill 101 with the road wheels 201 projecting outwardly over the platforms 107 and positioned thereabove and out of contact therewith, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 6.

Recapitulating: When the unequipped trailer 200A is mounted upon the top of the center sill 101, the rear end thereof is directly supported by the engagements between the road wheels 201 and the platforms 107; and when the equipped trailer 2003 is mounted upon the top of the center sill 101, the rear end thereof is directly supported by the engagements between the track rollers 205 and the track rails 106.

Again referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the railway car 100 carries two longitudinally spaced-apart semi-trailer hitches 300 of identical construction and arrangement, one of the hitches 300 being disposed adjacent to the left hand end of the railway car 100, as shown in FIG. 1, and normally disposed in supporting relation with the cooperating front end of the trailer 200B mounted upon the left hand end of the railway car 100, and the other of the hitches 300 being disposed adjacent to the central portion of the railway car 100, as shown in FIG. 2, and normally disposed in supporting relation with the cooperating front end of the trailer 200A mounted upon the right hand end of the railway car 100. As explained more fully hereinafter, the hitch 300 disposed in supporting relation with the front end of the trailer 200B also normally latches in place the king pin 202 thereof; and

similarly, the hitch 300 disposed in supporting relation with the front end of the trailer 200A also normally latches in place the king pin 202 thereof. Accordingly, regardless of the type of the semi-trailer 200A or 20015 that is mounted upon the top of the railway car 100, the front end thereof is always supported in the same manner by the cooperating hitch 300, and also regardless of the mounted position of the semi-trailer with respect to the opposite ends of the railway car 100.

Preferably each of the hitches 300 is of the construction and arrangement of that disclosed and claimed in the copending application of Deodat Clejan, Serial No. 861,291, filed December 22, 1959.

More particularly as shown in FIG. 2, each of the hitches 300 comprises a standard 301 that is pivotally mounted at the lower end thereof upon a laterally extending trunnion bar 302 rotatably supported within the center sill 101 adjacent to the opposite ends thereof upon the I-beams 104; which standard 301 carries at the upper end thereof a pivotally connected fifth-wheel mechanism 303 that is adapted selectively to support the front end of the associated semi-trailer 200A or 20013. Further, the hitch 300 comprises a strut 304 pivotally connected at the outer end thereof to the intermediate portion of the standard 301 by a suitable pivot pin 305 and carrying roller structure 306 on the inner end thereof arranged in guided relation with respect to guide structure 307 carried by the respective I-beams 104. Also, a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart shock absorbing mechanisms 400 are arranged in the hollow center sill 101 and respectively operatively associated with the hitches 300. As illustrated, the shock absorbing mech anism 400 comprises a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart shafts 401 that are operatively connected together by an associated laterally extending latch bar 402. Also, the inner end of the strut 304 carries a pivotally mounted latch 308 that selectively cooperates with the latch bar 402.

In the arrangement, the hitch 300 is selectively movable between a storage position disposed within. the hollow center sill 101 and an erected position disposed well above the center sill 101. When the hitch 300 is moved from its storage position into its erected position, the standard 301 is rotated into a substantially upstanding position with the trunnion bar 302, and the strut 304 is moved into an upwardly inclined position since the outer end thereof is pivotally connected by the pivot pin 305 to the intermediate portion of the standard 301, and since the inner end thereof carries the roller structure 306 arranged in guided relation with respect to the guide structure 307. As the hitch 300 is. moved into its erected position, the latch 308 automatically engages the latch bar 402 and is set in its latched position thereby operatively connecting the hitch 300 to the shock absorbing mechanism 401. When the hitch 300 occupies its erected position, the fifth-wheel mechanism 303 occupies its active position. so that it may selectively engage and support the front end of the associated semi-trailer 200A or 200B. Also, the fifth-wheel mechanism 303 in its active position engages and locks inplace the king pin 202 carried by the front end of the supported semi-trailer 200A or 2003.

Of course, the fifth-wheel mechanism 303 may be operated to unlock the king pin -2 carried by the front end of the supported semi-trailer 200A or 200B, thereby to accommodate the disconnection of the fifth-wheel mechanism 303 from the front end of the supported semi-trailer 200A or 2008. At this time, the hitch 300 may be returned back into its storage position by opera tion of the latch 308 to unlatch the associated latch bar 402; whereby the standard 301 is rotated with the trunnion bar 302 causing the strut 304 to guide the movement mentioned by virtue of the cooperation between the roller structure 306 and the cooperating guide structure 307. The details of the tripping devices for respectively effecting tripping of the fifth-wheel mech- 6 anism 303 and of the latch 308 have not been illustrated in the interest of brevity.

In View of the foregoing, it will be understood that when the hitch 300 occupies its erected position and is operatively connected via the fifth-wheel mechanism 303 to the king pin 202 of the associated supported semitrailer 200A or 2003, the supported semi-trailer and the connected fifth-wheel mechanism 303 are movable as a unit longitudinally of the center sill 1'01 effecting corresponding pivotal movement of the standard 301 with the trunnion bar 302; whereby the motion mentioned is transmitted from the standard 301 via the strut 304 to the connected shock absorbing mechanism 400, with the result that the shock absorbing mechanism 400 limits and shocks through the erected hitch 300 the fore-and-aft rolling movements of the connected semi-trailer 200A or 20013 longitudinally of the center sill 101.

Of course, when the hitch 300 occupies its storage position within the hollow center sill 101, it is arranged entirely in a non-interfering position with respect to movements of the semi-trailers 200A and 2003 longitudinally along the center sill 101 in their supported positions.

In passing, it is mentioned that the front end of the mounted semi-trailer 200A or 20013 may be supported upon the railway car 101 by utilization of its front end supporting mechanism 203. More particularly, in this case, the front end supporting mechanism 203 is operated from its normal storage position into its active position so that the flanged rollers carried on the outer end thereof respectively engage the rails 106 for the supporting purpose.

A plurality of the railway cars 1100 are normally arranged in a train, the adjacent ends of the railway cars being coupled together by car couplers, not shown; and the semi-trailers 200A and 200B are loaded indiscriminately upon the string of railway cars longitudinally with respect to the train. in order to accommodate such longitudinal loading of the trailers 200A and 2005, each of the railway cars 100 comprises end structure providing both a continuous trackway and a continuous roadway along the train of railway cars 100; and this end structure that is provided at the left hand end of the railway car 100 is best shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 5. More particularly, and referring to FIG. 3, the lower car rail 106 has pivotally connected thereto a bridging rail and the lower car platform 107 has pivotally connected thereto a bridging platform 121. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the inner end of the bridging rail 120* is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 122 to the adjacent extreme outer end of the lower car rail 106 and the inner end of the bridging platform 121 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 123 to the adjacent extreme outer end of the lower car platform 107. The outer end of the bridging rail 120 is provided with structure 124 that is adapted to cooperate with an abutment, indicated at 125, carried by the adjacent extreme outer end of the rail structure of the coupled railway car; and the extreme outer end of the bridging platform 121 is provided with structure 126 that is adapted to cooperate. with an abutment, indicated at 127, carried by the adjacent extreme outer end of the platform structure of the coupled railway car. The bridging rail 120 and the bridging platform 121 each have active positions, indicated in solid lines in FIG. 4, and inactive positions, indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 4; and the bridging rail 120 and the bridging platform 121 are movable together between their active and inactive positions, as explained more fully hereinafter. More particularly, when the bridging rail 120 occupies its active position, its lower position illus' trated in FIG. 4, the structure 124 engages the adjacent abutment 1125, thereby completing a continuous rail sys tem between the two coupled railway cars 100; and likewise, when the bridging platform 12'5 occupies its' active 7 position, its lower position illustrated in FIG. 4, the structure 126 engages the abutment 127, thereby completing a continuous road system between the two coupled railway cars 100.

It will be understood that the right hand end of the railway car 100 comprises end structure identical to that provided at the left hand end of the railway car 100, except that the bridging rail and the bridging platform involved are disposed in cooperating relation with respect to the upper car rail 106 and the upper car platform 107. Accordingly, each railway car 100 carries at each end thereof end structure that is complementary to the end structure carried by either end of any other railway car 100, so that, either end of any railway car 100 may be connected to either end of another railway car 100. This will be best understood by reference to PKG. 3, wherein it will be appreciated that the rail bridge 120 and the platform bridge 121 carried at the left hand end of the railway car illustrated produces continuous rail and road systems with respect to the right hand end of the coupled railway car, not shown, disposed at the left of the railway car 100 illustrated; while the rail bridge indicated at 120' and the platform bridge indicated at 121' carried at the right hand end of the coupled railway car, not illustrated, produce continuous rail and road systems with respect to the left hand end of the railway car 100 illustrated. Also it is noted that, as shown in FIG. 3, the upper surfaces of the car platforms 107 and the upper surfaces of each of the bridging platforms 121 may carry embosses, respectively indicated at 107a and 121a, so as to provide additional frictional contact with the engaging road wheels 201 of a semi-trailer 200A, or other road vehicle, supported thereby.

Again referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the bridging rail 120 and the bridging platform 121 are actuated simultaneously by an arrangement including a manually operable lever or handle 130 that is connected at the lower end thereof to a bushing 131 mounted upon a pivot pin carried by a plate 132 secured to the adjacent outer edge of the car platform 107. The bushing 131 is rigidly connected to the inner end of an arm 133, the outer end of which is connected to a tube 134 that is, in turn, connected to the underportion of the bridging platform 121 by a pair of tabs 135. Also, the bridging platform 121 is linked to the bridging rail 120 by an arrangement including a tab 136 carried by the bridging rail 120, and a link 137. One end of the link 137 is connected by a pivot pin 138 arranged in the end of the tube 134 and the other end of the link 137 is connected to the tab 136 by a spindle 139. Accordingly, when the lever or handle 130 is rotated in the clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4, from its position illustrated, the bushing 131 is correspondingly rotated causing the arm 133 to lift the bridging platform 121 from its active position illustrated in full lines into its inactive position illustrated in dotted lines. As the bridging platform 121 is thus rotated in the clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4, about the pivot pin 123, the motion is transmitted by the link 137 to the bridging rail 120 so that the bridging rail 120 is rotated in the clockwise direction about the pivot pin 122 from its active position illustrated in full lines into its inactive position illustrated in dotted broken lines. Accordingly, it will be understood that the bridging rail 120 and the bridging platform 121 may be readily moved simultaneously between their active and inactive positions by corresponding manipulations of the lever or handle 130. At this point it is mentioned that the bridging rail 120 and the bridging platform 121 occupy their lowered or active positions only during loading of the semi-trailers 200A and 200B upon the coupled railway cars 100; and after the loading operation, the bridging rail 120 and the bridging platform 121 are operated into their raised or inactive positions. It will, of course,

be understood that the inactive positions of the bridging rails 120 and the bridging platforms 121 accommodate articulation of the coupled railway cars 100, without bending or other damage to these bridging elements 120 and 121.

As previously noted, the semi-trailers 200A and 200B are normally loaded longitudinally upon the railway car, and ordinarily a tractor is employed in this operation; which tractor may be either equipped or unequipped. The unequipped tractor is entirely conventional, comprising a chassis provided with a front axle carrying front road wheels that are steered and a rear axle carrying rear road wheels that are driven, as well as a motor and the usual facilities. Also, the rear end of the unequipped tractor carries a conventional fifth-wheel mechanism that is selectively operative between active and inactive positions with respect to the depending king pin 202 carried by the front end of the semi-trailer 200A or 200B, the fifth-wheel mechanism in its active position supporting the front end of the semi-trailer and latching the king pin in place, and the fifth-wheel mechanism in its inactive position unlatching the king pin to facilitate the removal of the semi-trailer from its supported position. The equipped tractor is identical to the above described conventional tractor, except that it further comprises low front rollers carried by the front axle and disposed inwardly with respect to the front road wheels, and also driven rear rail wheels disposed inwardly with respect to the rear road wheels. The front rollers are flanged to face inwardly so that they are adapted to straddle the track rails 106 carried on the top of the center sill 101 of the railway car and to guide thereon. The driven rear rail wheels are driven together with the rear road wheels and are also flanged to face inwardly so that they too are adapted to straddle the track rails 106 carried on the top of the center sill 101 of the railway car 100 and to guide thereon.

In the loading operation the fifth-wheel mechanism carried by the tractor, and regardless of the type thereof, is coupled to the king pin 202 carried by the front end of the semi-trailer 200A or 200B, and this coupled unit is backed upOn the railway car 100. In the event the unequipped semi-trailer 200A is involved, the road wheels 201 thereof engage the platforms 107 and cooperate with the wheel guide rails 111 to insure centering of the semitrailer 200A upon the top of the railway car 100 as it is backed in place thereon. In the event the equipped semitrailer 200B is involved, the low rollers 205 carried by the rear axle 211 straddle and engage the track rails 106 and guide thereon so that the road wheels 201 are disposed above the platforms 107, whereby automatic centering of the semi-trailer 200B is assured. The guiding and centering of an unequipped tractor, as it is backed upon the top of the railway car 100, is substantially identical to that of the unequipped semi-trailer 200A; and likewise, the centering and guiding of the equipped tractor, as it is backed upon the top of the railway car 100, is substantially identical to that of the equipped semi-trailer 200B.

With further reference to the wheel guiding and centering arrangement that is incorporated in the railway car 100, it will be observed in FIGS. 3 and 4 that the wheel guiding rails 111 extend substantially from end-to-end of the center sill 101 and that each extreme outer end of each wheel guiding rail 111 is flared and curved inwardly toward the web of the adjacent I-beam 104, as indicated at 111a, thereby positively to prevent scufiing of the inside surface of the rubber of the inside road wheels 201 carried by the unequipped road semi-trailer 200A incident to loading the same upon the railway car 100, in the manner described above.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 to 12, inclusive, a modified form of the railway car 500 is there illustrated that is fundamentally of the same construction as that of the railway car 100 previously described and comprising the corresponding elements 501, 504, 506, 5437, 56%, 511, 520, 521, 522, 523, 524, 525, 526 and 527. Accordingly, in this case, the inner end of the bridging rail 520 is pivotally connected to the extreme left-hand end of the lower I-beam 504, as shown in FIG. 8, by the associated pivot in 522, and the bridging rail 52% is movable independently of the bridging platform 521 between its connecting position, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and its disconnecting position, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. More particularly, when the bridging rail 520 occupies its connecting position with respect to the associated coupled railway car, it occupies a substantially horizontal disposition bridging the space between the adjacent ends of the railway car and of the coupled railway car mentioned and produces the continuous rail system, as previously explained. On the other hand, when the bridging rail 520 occupies its disconnecting position with respect to the associated coupled railway car, it occupies a substantial vertical disposition unbridging the space between the adjacent ends of the railway car Stitl and of the coupled railway car mentioned and interrupts the rail system, sO as to accommodate ready articulation between the adjacent ends of these coupled railway cars, without damage to the bridging rail 52%.

In order to insure that the bridging rail 52% is restrained in its disconnecting position, as illustrated in FIGS. and 11, a securing arrangement is provided that includes a link 53% that is connected at the inner end thereof to the adjacent outer end of the I-beam 504 by an associated pivot pin 531, the outer end of the link 530 having a hole 532 therein that is arranged to cooperate with the central opening provided in a barrel 533 that is secured by a pair of tabs 534 to the undersurface of the bridging rail 52d, as best shown in FIG. 11. Also, a locking pin 535 is employed for the purpose of locking together the outer end of the link 530 and the barrel 533, when the bridging rail 52!) occupies its disconnecting position, as illustrated in FIG. 11; and specifically, the locking pin 535 is inserted through the hole 532 provided in the outer end of the link 5356 and the centrally disposed opening provided in the barrel 533 for the purpose mentioned. In order to prevent loss of the locking pin 535, the same is secured to the intermediate portion of the link 530 by a suitable short length of chain 536.

Accordingly, it will be understood that when the bridging rail 52% occupies its disconnecting position, as illustrated in FlG. 11, it may be readily secured in place by utilization of the locking pin 535. On the other hand, when it is desired to move the bridging rail 520 from its disconnecting position of FIG. 11 into its connecting position of FIG. 9, it is only necessary to remove the locking pin 535 and then to lower the bridging rail 520 into its connecting position.

The end structure that is provided on the left-hand end of the railway car 5% comprises, in addition to the bridging rail 52% aud the bridging platform 521, base structure 540 arranged in alignment with the left-hand end of the lower platform 54?]. More particularly, the base structure 540 comprises, as best shown in FIGS. 8, 11 and 12, a supporting plate 541 rigidly secured, as by welding, to the laterally projecting cantilever beams 5% disposed adjacent to the lower left-hand end of the center sill 5451, as well as a plurality of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart ribs 542, the ribs 54-2 being disposed on the upper surface of the supporting plate 541 and rigidly secured in place, as by welding. Each of the ribs 542 is substantially channel-shaped in lateral cross-section, and the upper portions of the ribs 542 are disposed in the substantially horizontal plane of the adjacent end of the lower platform 507; whereby the base 540 constitutes a transition section for the road wheels 201 carried by an unequipped semi-trailer ZtltlA incident to loading and unloading thereof with respect to the railway car 500, when the bridging platform iii 521 occupies its connecting position with respect to the adjacent coupled railway car, as explained more fully hereinafter. In this connection it is mentioned that the lateral spacing between the ribs 542 is substantially less than the normal width of the road wheels 201, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 11, thereby adequately to support the road wheels 201 in the transition thereof between the bridging platform 521 in its connecting position and the adjacent outer end of the platform 5M.

Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9 and 11, the bridging platform 521 essentially comprises an upper plate or deck 543 carrying a plurality of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart ribs 544 disposed therebelow and rigidly secured thereto, as by welding, as well as the front laterally extending abutment 526 previously mentioned, and also a laterally extending rear abutment 545, the two abutment 526 and 545 being substantially of tubular form. Each of the ribs 544 is substantially channel-shaped in lateral cross-section, and the lower portions of the ribs 544 depend from the deck 543; whereby the ribs 544 reinforce the bridging platform 521, so as to minimize vertical bending movements thereof under load, when the bridging platform 521 occupies its connecting position, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and as explained more fully hereinafter.

The bridging platform 521 is mounted upon the extrerne front end of the center sill 5M in alignment with the adjacent end of the base 540 for movements between its connecting position as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and its disconnecting position, as shown in FIG. 10, by an arrangement including a laterally extending tubular trunnion member 546, the trunnion member 546 being rotatably mounted adjacent to the end of the center sill 5&1 by an arrangement including a pair of outwardly extending brackets 547 disposed in laterally spaced-apart relation and rigidly secured to the adjacent laterally outwardly extending cantilever beam 508, as best shown in FIG. 11. More particularly, the trunnion member 546 is rotatably mounted upon the brackets 54-7 by an arrangement including two pairs of cooperating keepers 548 respectively secured to the upper and lower ends of the brackets 547 by cooperating bolts 549; and the trunnion member 546 carries two pairs of longitudinally outwardly extending and laterally spaced-apart links 550 rigidly secured thereto at the inner ends thereof. The extreme outer ends of the pairs of links 550 are pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of the bridging platform 521 by the pair of laterally spaced-apart pivot pins 523. More particularly, each of the pivot pins 523 extends laterally between the outer ends of the adjacent pair of links 550 through a pair of aligned holes respectively provided in the sides of one of the depending ribs 544 carried by the deck 545 of the bridging platform 521; and in the arrangement, it is noted that the upstanding ribs 542 carried by the base 540 are staggered laterally with respect to the depending ribs 544 carried by the bridging platform 521, as clearly shown in FIG. 11; whereby the ribs 542 and 544 are arranged in interlocking relation with respect to each other.

The laterally extending rear abutment 545 carried by the bridging platform 521 carries a depending lug 551' that projects downwardly between an. inner pairof the ribs 542 carried by the base 546; which Mg 551 carries on the extreme lower end thereof a laterally extending guide bar 552 that is also positioned between the two upstanding intermediate ribs 542 mentioned, as clearly shown in FIG. 11; and further, the two upstanding intermediate ribs 542 mentioned carry a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart guide rails 553 adjacent to the upper portions thereof and disposedin overhanging relation with respect to the outer ends of the guide bar 552 as clearly shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

Accordingly, the above-described mounting arrangement for the bridging platform 521 accommodates ready movements thereof between its extended connecting posi- 11 tion, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and its disconnecting retracted position, as sohwn in FIG. which movements of the bridging platform 521 constitute longitudinal sliding movements with respect to the base 540 that are guided by the cooperation between the guide bar 552 carried by the bridging platform 521 and the guide rails 553 carried by the base 540, the link 550 supporting the intermediate portion of the bridging platform 521 in the longitudinal sliding movements mentioned, and rotation of the trunnion member 546 accommodating the required pivotal movements of the links 550.

When the bridging platform 52.1 occupies its connecting or extended position, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, it is, of course, disposed longitudinally in bridging relation between the adjacent ends of the railway car 500 and the coupled railway car, as indicated in FIG. 9; at which time, the front abutment 526 carried by the bridging platform 521 engages the adjacent abutment 527 carried by the adjacent right-hand end of the coupled railway car mentioned; and at which time, the rear abutment 545 carried by the bridging paltform 521 still engages the front end of the base 54% carried by the railway car 500. On the other hand, when the bridging platform 521 occupies its disconnecting or retracted position, as illustrated in FIG. 10, it is of course, disposed longitudinally in unbridging relation with respect to the adjacent ends of the railway car 500 and the coupled railway car, as shown in FIG. 10, thereby to accommodate articulation between the adjacent ends of the railway car 500 and the coupled railway car mentioned without bending or other damage to the bridging platform 521. Moreover, when the bridging platform 521 occupies its disconnecting or retracted position, as shown in FIG. 10, the same is disposed in superimposed relation with respect to the base 549; whereby the deck 543 is disposed in substantially the horizontal plane of the adjacent end of the platform 507, and the ribs 544 carried by the bridging platform 52.1 are arranged laterally between the cooperating ribs 542 carried by the base 54% Moreover, it is noted that the opposite ends of the ribs 542 carried by the base 540 are provided with front and rear laterally extending recesses or pockets 554 and 555 respectively that cooperate with the rear abutment 545 carried by the bridging platform 52!, so as to insure that the bridging platform 521 occupies substantially horizontal dispositions in both its connecting and disconnecting positions. More particularly, when the bridging platform 521 is moved into its projected connecting position of FIG. 9, the rear abutment 545 falls into the cooperating front pocket or recess 554, so as to insure that the deck 543 of the bridging member 521 is substantially flush with the adjacent ends of the ribs 542 carried by the base 540; and similarly, when the bridging platform 521 is moved into its retracted disconnecting position of FIG. 10, the rear abutment 545 falls into the cooperating rear pocket or recess 555 so as to insure that the deck 543 of the bridging member 521 is substantially flush with the adjacent ends of the platform 507.

Y The bridging platform 521 may be readily moved by one man between its connecting and disconnecting positions, so as to falicitate ready loading and unloading of the semi-trailers 200A with respect to the railway car 500 and to the coupled railway car mentioned, and to this end a substantially U-shaped handle 556 is fixedly secured to the front portion of the bridging platform 521, the handle 556 extending laterally outwardly and upwardly with respect to the front end of the bridging platform 521, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9; whereby the handle 556 is in non-interfering relation wtih respect to the road wheels 201 of a semi-trailer 200A, when the bridging platform 521 occupies either its connecting position of FIGS. 8 and 9 or its disconnecting position of FIG. 10.

In order to facilitate the manual movements of the bridging platform 521 between its connecting and disconnecting positions by the utilization of the handle 556, an energy-storing arrangement is provided that includes a resilient member 557 in the form of a laterally extending torsion bar disposed within the tubular trunnion member 545. As best shown in FIG. 11, the torsion bar 557 comprises a stack of leaf springs; the inner end of the torsion bar 557 is rigidly secured to the adjacent portion of the laterally extending cantilever beam 598 by an arrangement including a pair of brackets 553 and a cooperating rivet 559; and the outer end of the torsion bar 557 is rigidly secured to a cap 560 that is, in turn, rigidly secured to the outer end of the trunnion member 546. More particularly, the extreme outer end of the torsion bar 557 projects through a cooperating slot provided in the cap 560 and is secured in place by a cooperating pin 561.

In the arrangement, the torsion bar 557 is unstrained, when the bridging platform 521 is moved into an intermediate position with respect to its extreme connecting and disconnecting positions; Accordingly, when the bridging platform 521 is moved into its connecting position, as shown in FIG. 9, the corresponding rotation of the trunnion member 546 in the counterclockwise direction as viewed therein effects straining, or winding-up in one direction, of the torsion bar 557, with the consequent storage of energy therein, with the result that the stored energy assists the person in the subsequent return of the bridging platform 521 out of its extended position and back toward its intermediate position, thereby minimizing the amount of work that must be expended on the part of the person in moving the bridging platform 521 out of its extended position, as shown in FIG. 9. Similarly, when the bridging platform 521 is moved into its disconnecting position, as shown in FIG. 10, the corresponding rotation of the trunnion member 546 in the clockwise direction as viewed therein effects straining, or Winding-up in the other direction, of the torsion bar 557, with the consequent storage of energy therein, with the result that the stored energy assists the person in the subsequent return of the bridging platform 521 out of its retracted position and back toward its intermediate position, thereby minimizing the amount of work that must be expended on the part of the person in moving the bridging platform 5x1 out of its retracted position, as shown in FIG. 10. Of course, the connecting or extended position of the bridging platform 521, as shown in FIG. 9, comprises a stable position thereof, since the weight of the bridging platform 521 adequately overcomes the torsional moment exerted thereupon by the wound torsion bar 557; and similarly, the disconnecting or retracted position of the bridging platform 521, as shown in FIG. 10, comprises a stable position thereof, since the weight of the bridging platform 521 adequately overcomes the torsional moment thereupon by the wound torsion bar 557.

In the loading or unloading of the semi-trailers 200A and 2003 with respect to the railway car 500 and the railway car coupled thereto, the bridging rail 520 and the bridging platform 521 are moved into their connecting positions, as shown in FIG. 9; and after the loading or unloading of the semi-trailers 200A and 20GB with respect to the railway car 560 and the railway car coupled thereto, the bridging rail 520 and the bridging platform 521 are moved into their disconnecting positions, as shown in FIG. 10. These movements of the elements 520 and 521 may be accomplished by a person manually in a ready manner, as previously explained; and in passing, it is noted that the elements 520 and 521 are separately and independently moved between the respective extreme positions thereof, as noted above.

For the purpose of positively restraining the bridging platform 521 in its retracted position disposed in superimposed relation with respect to the base 540, as shown in FIG. 10, a latch bolt mechanism 570 is carried by the base 540 and arranged to cooperate with a laterally outwardly projecting tab 571 carried by the outside of the deck 543 of the bridging platform 521, as best shown in FIG. 8. Specifically, it will be understood that when the bridging platform 521 is moved into its retracted position in superimposed relation with respect the base 540, the tab 571 is disposed rearwardly of the latch bolt mechanism 570; whereby the latch bolt of this mechanism 570 may be selectively manually operated into latched and unlatched positions with respect thereto. When the railway car is in transit, the bridging platform 521 occupies its retracted position, as shown in FIG. and at this time, the latch bolt mechanism 570 is operated to latch the tab 571, thereby to restrain or latch the bridging platform 521 in its retracted position. Subsequently, when it is desirable to move the bridging platform 5.21 out of its retracted position, the latch bolt mechanism 570 is first actuated to unlatch the tab 57]., whereupon the bridging platform 521 may be readily moved manually out of its retracted position of FIG. 10 into its extended position of FIG. 9, as previously explained.

Of course, it will be understood that the end structure that is provided at the right-hand end of the railway car 5% is substantially identical to that described above that is provided at the left-hand end thereof; however, the two end structures are diagonally displaced with respect to each other, so that each is complementary to each other end structure provided on either end of each other railway car, as indicated in FIG. 8.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided in a railway car that is especially designed for transporting road vehicles, a rail bridging and road bridging system at the opposite ends of the railway car, and of improved construction and arrangement, that greatly facilitate the loading and unloading operations and that accommodate ready movements in the longitudinal direction of the road vehicles between and along a coupled string of the railway cars.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

' What is claimed is:

1. A railway car for transporting indiscriminately road semi-trailers of first and second types, wherein the first type of semi-trailer includes a rear end carrying road wheels of standard road gauge, and the second type of emi-trailer includes a rear end carrying both road wheels of standard road gauge and track rollers of given narrow gauge depending therefrom and disposed inwardly of and above the road wheels carried thereby; said railway car comprising a longitudinally extending narrow center sill, a pair of trucks of standard rail gauge supporting the opposite ends of said center sill, a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart stationary rails respectively provided on the opposite top sides of said center sill and constituting a trackway of said given narrow gauge and disposed in a substantially horizontal upper plane, a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart stationary platforms respectively carried on the opposite sides of said center sill and projecting laterally outwardly therefrom and disposed below the top thereof and constituting a roadway of said standard road gauge and disposed in a substantially horizontal lower plane, said roadway being arranged to engage and to support the road wheels of the first type semi-trailer so as to mount the same upon the top of said center sill in straddling relation with said trackway and with the underportion thereof positioned above said trackway and out of contacttherewith in order to accommodate movements of the mounted first type semi-trailer longitudinally along said center sill, said trackway being arranged to engage i4 and to support the track rollers carried by the second type semi-trailer so as to mount the same upon the top of said center sill with the road wheels thereof projecting laterally outwardly over said roadway and with the road wheels thereof positioned above said roadway and out of'c'ontact therewith in order to accommodate movements of the mounted second type semi-trailer longitudinally along said center sill, means including a bridging platform and a bridging abutment both disposed at one end of said railway car for accommodating selective loading and unloading movements of the first type semi-trailer between said railway car and a cooperating external support, said bridging platform being disposed on one side of said center sill in alignment with and secured to the adjacent end of the corresponding one stationary platform and mounted thereupon for selective movements between respective connecting and disconnectig positions with respect to the external support, said platform abutment being disposed on the other side of said center sill in alignment with and secured to the adjacent end of the corresponding other stationary platform and mounted thereupon for cooperation with platform structure that is carried by the external support and movable between respective connecting and disconnecting positions with respect to said platform abutment, said bridging platform in its connecting position and said platform abutment being disposed substantially in the horizontal lower plane of said roadway, and means including a bridging rail and a rail abutment both disposed at said one end of said railway car for accommodating selective loading and unloading movements of the second type semi-trailer between said railway car and the external support, said bridging rail, being disposed in alignment with and se cured to the adjacent end of the corresponding one stationary rail and mounted thereupon for selective movements between respective connecting and disconnecting positions with respect to the external support, said rail abutment being disposed in alignment with and secured to the, adjacent. end of the corresponding other stationary rail and mounted thereupon for cooperation with rail structure that is carried by the external support and movable between respective connecting and disconnecting positions with respect to said rail abutment, said bridging rail in its connecting position and said rail abutment being disposed substantially in the horizontal upper plane of said trackway.

2. The. railway car set forth in claim 1, and further comprising linkage means connecting together said bridging rail and said bridging platform so that they are movable together between their connecting and disconnecting positions.

3. A railway car for transporting a road vehicle and comprising a longitudinally extending underframe, longitudinally extending stationary platform structure carried by said underframe and adapted to engage and to support the roadwheels of a road vehicle mounted thereon, a base carried by said underframe at one end thereof and on one side of the longitudinal center line thereof and arranged in longitudinal alignment with the adjacent end of said stationary platform structure carried on said one side of said underframe, a laterally extending trunnion member rotatably mounted upon said one end of said underframe on said one side of the longitudinal center line thereof. andlongitudinally outwardly with respect to said base, a longitudinally outwardly extending link rigidly secured to said trunnion member and rotatable therewith, a longitudinally extending bridging platform, and means including a pivotal connection between the outer end of said link and the intermediate portion of said bridging platform for mounting said bridging platform upon said one end of said underframe on said one side of the longitudinal center line thereof in longitudinal alignment with said base for selective longitudinal movements between respective connecting and disconnecting positions with respect to a cooperating external support so as to accommodate selective loading and unloading movements of the road vehicle between said railway car and the external support, said bridging platform in its connecting position occupying a first substantially horizontal disposition projecting longitudinally outwardly from the adjacent end of said base and in its disconnecting position occupying a second substantially horizontal disposition retracted longitudinally inwardly with respect to the adjacent end of said base and disposed in superimposed relation with respect thereto.

4. The railway car set forth in claim 3, and further comprising resilient means operatively connected between said one end of said underframe and said trunnion member, whereby movement of said bridging platform into its connecting position strains said resilient means storing energy therein so as to facilitate subsequent return movement of said bridging platform from its connecting position back toward its disconnecting position.

5. The railway car set forth in claim 3, and further comprising resilient means operatively connected between said one end of said underframe and said trunnion member, whereby movement of said bridging platform into its disconnecting position strains said resilient means storing energy therein so as to facilitate subsequent return movement of said bridging platform from its disconnecting position toward its connecting position.

6. The railway car set forth in claim 3, and further comprising resilient means operatively connected between said one end of said underframe and said trunnion member and having an unstrained condition when said bridging platform occupies an intermediate position with respect to its extreme connecting and disconnecting positions, whereby movement of said bridging platform into either one of its extreme positions strains said resilient means storing energy therein so as to facilitate subsequent return movement of said bridging platform back toward the other of its extreme positions.

7. The railway car set forth in claim 3, and further comprising a sliding connection between the inner end of said bridging platform and said base for guiding said bridging platform in its selective longitudinal movements With respect to said base between its respective connecting and disconnecting positions.

8. The railway car set forth in claim 3, and further comprising latch mechanism cooperating between said base and said bridging platform in its disconnecting position and selectively operative to latch and to unlatch in place said bridging platform in its disconnecting position.

9. The railway car set forth in claim 3, wherein said base is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart upwardly projecting first ribs, and said bridging platform is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending and laterally spacedapart downwardly projecting second ribs, and wherein said first and second ribs are arranged in interfitting relation when said bridging platform occupies its disconnecting position disposed in superimposed relation with respect to said base.

10. The railway car set forth in claim 9, wherein the lateral spacing between said first ribs carried by said base is substantially less than the width of the road wheel of the road vehicle mounted thereon, and the upper portions of said first ribs are substantially in the plane of the adjacent end of said stationary platform structure carried on said one side of said underframe.

11. Platform apparatus for use in selectively bridging together the end of a railway flatcar and an adjacent external support so as to accommodate loading and unloading of a road vehicle between the railway fiatcar and the external support; said apparatus comprising a longitudinally extending stationary base adapted to be secured in place to the underframe of the railway flatcar adjacent to one corner thereof at the junction of one end thereof and one side thereof, a plurality of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart upstanding ribs carried by said base, the lateral spacing between said upstanding ribs oeing sufficiently narrow that the tops of said upstanding ribs accommodate the support of the engaging road wheels of the road vehicle incident to loading and unloading thereof, a longitudinally extending bridging platform slidably connected at the rear thereof to said base and selectively movable with respect thereto between connecting and disconnecting positions with respect to the external support, a plurality of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart depending ribs carried by said bridging platform and reinforcing the same in its connecting position, said bridging platform in its connecting position being disposed in a substantially horizontal extended disposition with respect to said base and substantially in the plane of the tops of said upstanding ribs and accommodating the support of the engaging road wheels of the road vehicle incident to loading and unloading thereof, said bridging platform in its disconnecting position being disposed in a substantially horizontal contracted position with respect to said base and in superimposed relation therewith, said depending ribs being staggered laterally with respect to said upstanding ribs and in interfitting relation therewith when said bridging platform is in its disconnecting position disposed in superimposed relation with respect to said base, bracket structure adapted to be secured in place to the underframe of the railway flatcar at the one end thereof, and linkage means interconnecting said bridging platform and said bracket structure for supporting said bridging platform during the movements thereof between its connecting and disconnecting positions.

12. A railway car for transporting a road vehicle and comprising a longitudinally extending underframe, longitudinally extending stationary platform structure carried by said underframe and adapted to engage and to support the road wheels of a road vehicle mounted thereon, a base carried by said underframe at one end thereof and on one side of the longitudinal center line thereof and arranged in longitudinal alignment with the adjacent end of said stationary platform structure carried on said one side of said underframe, a laterally extending tubular trunnion member rotatably mounted upon said one end of said underframe on said one side of the longitudinal center line thereof and longitudinally outwardly with respect to said base, a longitudinally outwardly extending link rigidly secured to said trunnion member and rotatable therewith, a longitudinally extending bridging platform, means including a pivotal connection between the outer end of said link and the intermediate portion of said bridging platform for mounting said bridging platform upon said one end of said underframe on said one side of the longitudinal center line thereof in longitudinal alignment with said base for selective longitudinal movements between respective connecting and disconnecting positions with respect to a cooperating external support so as to accommodate selective loading and unloading movements of the road vehicle between said railway car and the external support, said bridging platform in its connecting position occupying a first substantially horizontal disposition projecting longitudinally outwardly from the adjacent end of said base and in its disconnecting position occupying a second substantially horizontal disposition retracted longitudinally inwardly with respect to the adjacent end of said base and disposed in superimposed relation with respect thereto, and a laterally extending torsion bar arranged within said tubular trunnion member, one end of said torsion bar being operatively connected to said one end of said underframe and the other end of said torsion bar being operatively connected to said trunnion member, whereby a predetermined rotation in a given direction of said trunnion member strains said torsion bar storing energy therein so as to facilitate a return rotation in the opposite direction of said trunnion member, thereby to fa- 17 cilitate a corresponding movement of said bridging platform in its movements between its connecting and disconnecting positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 18 Allen Nov. 16, 1937 Porte Jan. 17, 1939 Cox Aug. 23, 1955 Russell Apr. 16, 1957 Fahland June 3, 1958 Seel et al Nov. 24, 1959 Clejan July 12, 1960 

